The Startup CPG Podcast · 25 Feb 2025 · 45m · Episode 126
Karen Slusher, Chief Experience Officer of Azure Standard, explains how this family-owned organic distributor supports emerging CPG brands through a unique buying club model and partnerships with independent retailers. She details Azure's mission-driven approach, which prioritizes sustainability, transparency, and wellness over pure volume, allowing brands to access national audiences without costly retail rollouts. The conversation highlights Azure's operational efficiencies, such as backhauling logistics and affordable promotional tools, while also discussing the growing demand for bulk products and the specific health benefits of their owned brand, Missy J's Carob.
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S'well founder Sarah Kauss joins Guy Raz to advise three early-stage founders on positioning and growth. She helps Chiara Moonzi of Chigi navigate grocery placement for a chickpea-based hot cereal, Jesús Rualcaba of Paper Tacos expand his Latino-inspired greeting cards beyond specialty stores, and Adam Barker of Bolt Skin and Shave determine his growth strategy for a razor brand targeting men who shave their legs.
Dillon Dandurand, founder of Not Beer, explains how he launched a zero-carb, zero-alcohol sparkling water in Dallas, Texas, leveraging his background at Brazi Bites and Jack Black. He details the operational challenge of sourcing a full truckload of 155,600 tall boy cans to meet minimum order quantities, opting for a turnkey manufacturer to simplify logistics. Dandurand discusses the brand's humorous packaging design, which mimics beer aesthetics, and his strategy of using sampling and influencer marketing to drive retail distribution in Texas before expanding nationally.
Bonobos co-founder Andy Dunn and host Guy Raz advise three early-stage founders: Michele Casentino of Top Banana, Alek Supak of Broda Beverage Company, and Sabrina Nass of House of Biscotti. Dunn critiques Top Banana's DTC pricing and influencer strategy, suggesting wholesale partnerships with brands like Caraway and Paris Hilton. He advises Broda Beverage to leverage its 'better-for-you' ingredients and Polish heritage to create a 'shot culture' in bars, while telling House of Biscotti to abandon DTC e-commerce in favor of competitive wholesale pricing at retailers like Whole Foods and Walmart.
Vuori founder Joe Kudla joins Guy Raz to advise three early-stage founders: Laurie Boge of Green Cloud Apparel, who is navigating profitability and marketing for her elevated medical scrubs; Brendan McAvoy of Ted, an Irish luxury handbag brand seeking US retail expansion; and Steve Bright of Skittens, who is deciding between direct-to-consumer and wholesale channels for his ski glove skins. Kudla emphasizes building community, aligning price points with distribution, and managing unit economics to scale sustainably.
Pete Maldonado, co-founder and co-CEO of Chomps, advises three founders on scaling their physical product businesses. He counsels Jennifer Ballin of Badass Bagels on navigating the complexities of CPG retail, including slotting fees and trade spend, while advising Brandi Shelton of Just Add Honey Tea Company to leverage its premium story and target Whole Foods before big-box retailers. Finally, he encourages Jake Meyer of Annie Alaska to prioritize direct-to-consumer sales through relentless door-knocking and authentic storytelling to build a stable customer base for his wild salmon business.
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